Your MSP company is facing an uphill battle when it comes to acquiring new clients. The sales process is long, arduous and fraught with difficulty. Here’s the thing: it’s certainly within the realm of possibility to find the best possible candidates for sales positions. It isn’t easy, but it’s doable. Here are seven steps that will assist you in achieving just that:
- Calculate the cost of a bad hire
- Focus on quality, traits, skills and recognition
- Get the candidate to do the talking
- Don’t try to go the easy route
- Know who you’re looking for
- Institute a “best practices” system of recruitment
- Expect a tough recruitment process
Calculate the Cost of a Bad Hire
Your MSP company can lose tens of thousands of dollars from a bad hire. Keeping this information at the forefront of your mind during the interview process can be one of the best ways to ensure you do your due diligence in hiring the right sellers for the job. Consider this: a bad salesperson will draw a salary of at least $30k. They’ll probably tread water to keep their job, meaning they make just enough sales to fly under the radar, but not enough sales to justify their existence. If they’re not bringing in the cost of their employment every year in sales, then they’re steadily draining your company. Additionally, bad salespeople who gain a position of authority tend to bring everybody else down–if they don’t, their lackluster performance is more likely to be noticed. This contributes to a collateral domino effect of mediocrity that could be a prime factor in a company’s bankruptcy.
Focus on Quality, Traits, Skills, and Recognition
You need to understand how to recognize the traits of a qualitative, skilled individual. They’re going to be organized and professional. They’re going to be naturally amenable. They’re going to sell themselves through facts rather than charisma, and they’ll have appropriate charisma. However, a charisma that isn’t informed with the truth is empty. It’s a model on a runway that’s more silicon than flesh. Sure, such an individual may look good from a distance, but up close, they’ve got a Frankenstein’s monster quality. In sales, look for substance peppered with style, not style over substance.
Get the Candidate to Do the Talking
If you allow yourself to ramble about the positives of your business, you may sell yourself on someone who really isn’t who they seem. Ask pointed questions that get them to talk, and act like a tough customer. This will give you a better idea of who they are and what they can do.
Don’t Try to Go the Easy Route
You get out what you put in. If you’re lazy in recruitment, you’ll miss out on the best candidates. Interview multiple candidates, even after you think you’ve found the right one. Take your time and choose carefully— always remember the possible collateral fallout of a poor decision. Anything worth doing is worth doing well, so recruit well.
Know Who You’re Looking For
If you don’t know what a good salesperson looks like, you won’t know how to compare candidates. Look at competitors’ salespeople, consider salespeople who are excellent that you’ve known and do your homework to get the proper profile in your mind’s eye.
Institute a “Best Practices” System of Recruitment
As you understand what you’re looking for and how to find it, start codifying a method of acquiring those who best resonate with your organization. Don’t just go with your gut. Sure, it may work every now and again, but it’s more likely to be trouble.
Expect a Tough Recruitment Process
Don’t go into it thinking you’ll be done after just a handful of interviews. Be choosy, take your time and follow best practices. You’ll be more successful.
An MSP company that puts in the hard work, follows best practices, understands what to look for, allows the candidate to demonstrate their skill, understands the cost of a bad decision and knows who to look for is going to have better salespeople than most competitors. You may not find the perfect salesperson, but you’ll get the best one available.
